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Hitchhiking robot that relied on human kindness found decapitated

A hitchhiking robot that relied on the kindness of strangers to travel the world has been found with its head and arms ripped off, just two weeks into its first American tour.

The child-sized robot, known as hitchBOT, was found damaged beyond repair on the streets of Philadelphia early on Saturday. It had earlier hitched across the entire of Canada for 26 days and completed a hitchhiking adventure through Germany.

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A research project from Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada, hitchBOT had hoped to make it across the USA to San Francisco. It relied on strangers to pick it up and leave it in a place where it would be spotted by other friendly drivers to allow it to continue its adventure.

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Wearing a red LED grin and its trademark yellow wellies, hitchBOT had "San Francisco or bust" taped on its bucket-shaped head. It was fitted with GPS and could hold basic conversations with its travelling companions. A camera regularly snapped photos to document its adventures. It was powered by solar panels and could also be charged using an in-car cigarette lighter. "We have no interest in pressing charges or finding the people who vandalised hitchBOT; we wish to remember the good times, and we encourage hitchBOT's friends and fans to do the same," the robot's creators wrote in an update.

The robot started its journey across the USA on 17 July in Salem, Massachusetts and visited Boston and New York City before being found dismembered on the streets of Philadelphia. A photo on Twitter showed hitchBOT lying in the dirt with its head missing and arms ripped off.

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The robot had hoped to tick off items on its "bucket list" while touring America -- including hearing jazz music in New Orleans, experiencing Las Vegas, and enjoying the magic of Walt Disney World in Florida.

"I hope that my hitchhiking trip will allow me to meet many interesting people, see beautiful places, and learn more about humanity," hitchBOT explained on an FAQ page published prior to its US adventure.

The robot's whereabouts are currently unknown, with a dead battery preventing it from being tracked using GPS. Its creators said they would look at what can be learned from hitchBOT's destruction and plan "future adventures for robots and humans".